Child safety seats were developed to decrease child injuries and deaths from motor vehicle accidents. The safety seats secure the child and help to prevent him from hurtling through the vehicle. Seats also absorb and distribute crash force loads over the child's body, notes the Public Safety Department of Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland. Safety seat guidelines provide manufacturers with construction standards, and help you select the best child safety seat.
Material Guidelines
Your child's safety seat is constructed of polypropylene, a durable plastic that flexes instead of cracking under pressure. Seat covers are made from flame-resistant fabrics that must be cleaned according to the manufacturer's directions. Child safety seats feature flame-resistant, energy-absorbing foam padding. Installation and use instructions are carefully written, and must be accessible in a permanent storage compartment.
Manufacturing and Use Ratings
Child safety seat manufacturers are rated on seat construction quality, as of 2002. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration evaluates safety seats on consumers' ability to install and use the seats correctly. The NHTSA provides consumers with ease-of-use letter grades. A seat may receive an "A" for one factor, while earning a "C" for another factor. This ratings program illuminates child safety seat flaws the manufacturer must correct.
Selection Guidelines
Purchase a rear-facing infant seat for babies up to 20 lbs. to 22 lbs. Convertible seats fit babies to 40 lbs.; seats change to a front-facing orientation as the child grows larger and older. Forward-facing safety seats fit children from 20 lbs. to 40 lbs. and at least 1 year old. Booster seats fit children from 40 lbs. to 80 lbs. who are too small for seat belts, notes KidsHealth website.
Installation Methods
You can install your child's safety seat by using one of two accepted methods. The Top Tether method uses a strap to connect the seat's top to a secure vehicle anchor point. Connect the seat's bottom with the seat belt or a lower anchor. This method should prevent a forward-facing seat from flying forward in a frontal crash.
The Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, or LATCH system, uses two lower anchors as well as a top tether. The LATCH method does not require seat belts, and is suitable for several types of seats, notes Car-Safety.org.
Consult with a trained expert to confirm that you have installed the child safety seat correctly. Child safety seat inspectors are located at many fire departments and emergency services departments.
Warning
Avoid used child safety seats with cracks, as seats may be structurally unsound. Do not purchase a seat without model or manufacturer information, as you cannot tell if the seat has been recalled. Ask the manufacturer if you can safely use an old seat or one without instructions. Do not use a seat that has been recalled, or if you know the seat has been in a vehicle crash, recommends Healthy Children.
References
- Anne Arundel Community College: Public Safety Department: Child Safety Seat Information Resource
- Americanchemistry: Plastics Are a Child's Best Friend: Polypropylene Makes Its Case
- Carseek: Child Passenger Safety: Child Safety Seats
- KidsHealth from Nemours: Auto Safety: Importance of Child Safety Seats
- Car-Safety.org: LATCH and Top Tether Guidelines
